When I hear "Goliath", I think of a giant!
Let me share my story...
We have been gardening every year for the past five years. Also this spring we finally made two rain barrels to collect water
for our garden
and enclosed an even bigger area for gardening.
Then life got busier than usual...three little children + kidney stones + hospital visits, surgeries...at that point, I was just trying to manage the essential things in life, like grocery shopping, feeding the baby, laundry and keeping the house semi-clean.
Needless to say the veggie garden ended up on the back of the list...in fact, I am sure it did not even made it to the list in the first place!
...Until, few days ago my friend Mary, St. Mary if you will, dropped off seven tomato plants
(and one of basil)
that she could not fit in her beautiful
all year round vegetable gardenS.
Yes, capital S!
(Mary works for Nashville Foodscapes ...you know, landscaping with vegetables!)
Those plants were given to her for free, so she gave it to me for free!
I really wanted to at least plant tomatoes, which we love eating.
So, between NOT having a vegetable garden at all and having a smaller garden,
I choose the latter.
The label on the tomatoes said
Goliath tomato plants are known for the large tomatoes they produce, that can weigh 1 lb or more. Goliath tomatoes require enough room to spread out as they are known to grow up to 10 feet...talk about Goliath!
Let me share my story...
We have been gardening every year for the past five years. Also this spring we finally made two rain barrels to collect water
for our garden
Needless to say the veggie garden ended up on the back of the list...in fact, I am sure it did not even made it to the list in the first place!
...Until, few days ago my friend Mary, St. Mary if you will, dropped off seven tomato plants
(and one of basil)
all year round vegetable gardenS.
Yes, capital S!
(Mary works for Nashville Foodscapes ...you know, landscaping with vegetables!)
Those plants were given to her for free, so she gave it to me for free!
I really wanted to at least plant tomatoes, which we love eating.
So, between NOT having a vegetable garden at all and having a smaller garden,
I choose the latter.
The label on the tomatoes said
WOW...I am facing a giant!
...wait...7 of them!
So far I planted two in planters we had owned for six years, and two in the ground.
I want to compare which ones will survive thrive!
I had 3 bags of soil left over from previous landscaping project.
We also have a compost bin in our back yard.
So I already had everything I needed.
Frugal tips of the day:
- reuse your broken tree branches to build trellises to support the tomato plants
- reuse your coffee grounds.
In compost jargon coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen (about 1.45%). They also contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, among other trace minerals. Add directly to the soil.
- reuse all those aluminum pans (and non working/scratched cds) to keep birds away!
It really works. The wind moves the aluminum pans and reflect the light, so birds leave your yummy veggies alone! Try it!
My garden this year has cost me absolutely nothing.
(Thanks Mary!)
What a blessing.
One more way God is providing for our needs!
Nothing fancy, but this is real life folks!
Next year we are going to try to build raised garden beds...kidney stones permitting ;)
And finally, my faithful gardening companions, we have been friends for five full years.
Remember,
a small garden is better than NO garden...
also, if life gives you tomato plants, make tomatoes...
Stay Frugal,
Daniela
Linking to It's Overflowing
Debbiedoo's
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
The Shabby Creek Cottage
...wait...7 of them!
So far I planted two in planters we had owned for six years, and two in the ground.
I had 3 bags of soil left over from previous landscaping project.
We also have a compost bin in our back yard.
So I already had everything I needed.
- reuse your broken tree branches to build trellises to support the tomato plants
In compost jargon coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen (about 1.45%). They also contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, among other trace minerals. Add directly to the soil.
- reuse all those aluminum pans (and non working/scratched cds) to keep birds away!
It really works. The wind moves the aluminum pans and reflect the light, so birds leave your yummy veggies alone! Try it!
My garden this year has cost me absolutely nothing.
(Thanks Mary!)
What a blessing.
One more way God is providing for our needs!
Next year we are going to try to build raised garden beds...kidney stones permitting ;)
And finally, my faithful gardening companions, we have been friends for five full years.
a small garden is better than NO garden...
also, if life gives you tomato plants, make tomatoes...
Stay Frugal,
Daniela
Linking to It's Overflowing
Debbiedoo's
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Glad to know that you're having success with your tomato plants. That was nice of your friend to share her plants with you! Looks like you'll be eating tomatoes all summer.
ReplyDeleteI'd love a huge garden too but rather than go another year without, we also did a small one! We've been enjoying lettuce so far...definitely an experimental year!
ReplyDeleteHow nice of her to give you those. Wow, 10 feet and 1lb maters.
ReplyDeleteI would love if you could keep us up to date on your garden. I tried gardening once but didn't have much success. I'll be looking to you for inspiration. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou are much braver than I...I have no garden skills whatsoeva! Thanks for sharing these tips with the newbie party.
ReplyDelete